Holder for plug type electric fuses



April 29, 1958 D. F. LINSLEY HOLDER FOR PLUG TYPE ELECTRIC FUSES Filed May 10, 1954 ATTORNEYS United States Patent HOLDER FOR PLUG TYPE ELECTRIC FUSES Douglas F. Linsley, Westport, Conn., assiguor to Linsley Incorporated, Westport, Conn a corporation of Connecticut Application May 10, 1954, Serial No. 428,395

2 Claims. (Cl. 211-26) This invention relates to a holder for the plug and/0r cartridge type of electric fuses commonly used in a house or industrial type building wiring system. It is common practice for a housfiolder to maintain several replace ment fuses near the fuse box of the house wiring system for easy replacement should, for any reason, a fuse be blown, and thus maintain the house circuits in proper operating condition. However, in the usual installations there are no facilities for properly storing or holding extra fuses near the fuse box where they are easily available or whereby a householder can rely on always easily and quickly locating a new fuse for replacement.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple and elfective holder for a number of these replacement fuses, which will definitely retain several of these fuses and which holder can be located closely adjacent the fuse box, either by susepnding it from the wire handle of the door of this box or it may be secured to other articles adjacent the box, so that extra fuses are always available and may be easily located for replacement should a fuse be blown in the box.

Another object is to provide a holder of this type which is of very simple construction, which may be manufactured at low cost, and will be effective for securely holding the extra fuses.

Another object is to provide a construction of this type of holder which may be molded in a single piece of a suitable plastic material to simplify the construction, reduce the weight of the device, and reduce the cost.

A further object is to provide a holder for the fuses which will permit easy and rapid insertion and removal of these fuses.

Another object is to provide an open-side construction which will permit forming the holder of a single piece of molded material and will reduce the amount of this material required to a minimum for an eifective holder.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the preferred form of holder;

Fig. 2 is a side view;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section;

Fig. 4 is an end view looking from the left of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sections substantially on lines .3-5 and 6-6 respectively of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse section substantially on line 77 of Fig .2.

The device shown is constructed to hold a plurality of the replacement fuses of the plug type, the specific article shown having means for simultaneously holding four of these fuses, but it will be understood that the number may be varied as desired. The holder shown is formed of one single integral piece of material, preferably a suitable molded plastic material as this can be of light weight, is strong, and may be made in different colors, such for example as bright colors, red, yellow, and so forth, to facilitate locating of the holder when the householder Wishes to secure a new fuse, although it may be made of other material, such, for example, as various metals, although this would make the holders more expensive to make and would also involve greater weight in the holder.

The specific form shown comprises a base 10, preferably substantially flat and elongated to provide sufiicient length for the desired number of means for holding a plurality of the renewal fuses, one of which of the well-known plug type is indicated at 11. Meansis provided for holding the individual fuses and these means may be variously arranged. In the arrangement shown there is provided at the opposite side edges of this base a plurality of upwardly extending resilient flexible arms 12 forming spring gripping members for gripping the opposite sides of the fuses 11 and retaining them in the holder. These arms are arranged in a plurality of pairs spaced longitudinally of the base 10, the arms of each pair being arranged opposite each other on opposite sides of the base. They are, however, not limited to location at the edges of the base but could be located anywhere on the top surface of this base. Between each pair of arms in the arrangement shown and extending upwardly from the top surface of the base 10, and preferably at substantially the longitudinal center thereof, are provided locating lugs 13 and 14, the lugs 14 being located between the outer pairs of arms 12 and. the ends of the base. These lugs function to locate and properly position the fuses 11 between each pair of arms 12 in proper position for most effective gripping and holding of the fuse plug by these arms, and these lugs are preferably of substantially the same height as the resilient or spring arms 12.

The arms 12 are shown as molded integrally in one piece with the base 10 at the opposite side edges thereof, and are of sufiicient width to provide the necessary strength for properly gripping and holding the fuses 11. As indicated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the arms of each pair are inclined upwardly and inwardly toward each other, and the inner sides of their outer free ends are inclined and preferably rounded, as indicated at 15. These arms are inclined sufiiciently so that in the released condition their upper or free ends are closer together than the diameter of the fuse member 11, and specifically the outer screw shell contact 16 of this fuse, so that when the fuse is inserted between a pair of these arms 12 it will have a camming action on the inclined rounded surfaces 15 and will force the free ends of these arms outwardly against their resilient action, and will thus stress these arms so that they will have a resilient gripping effect on the opposite sides of the screw shell 16 or the side walls or" the fuse and securely hold it in position between the adjacent lugs or fingers 13 or 14. Although these arms securely grip and effectively hold the fuses, each fuse may be readily inserted between and removed for placement in the proper socket of the fuse box, by merely gripping its outer head portion 17 and withdrawing it from between the resilient arms 12.

It is also preferred to provide in the top surface of the base 10 between each pair of arms 12 a depression or recess 18 to receive the projecting central contact 19 of the fuse member. This permits the fuse member to be inserted lower in its position between the resilient arms 12 and permits the use of shorter arms, as well as reducing the amount of material required in molding the holder. This recess also cooperates with the central contact 19 to act as a stop to limit insertion of the fuse and 3 toassist in locating the fuse member in an upright central position between the gripping arms 12.

Means is also provided for mounting the holder at any suitable location adjacent the fuse box, so that the house holder knows that there are always extra fuses available and closely adjacent the box for easy and quick renewal of a blown fuse. Also the holder may be held in an exposed position whereby the householder can tell at a. glance when the supply of new fuses is nearly exhausted, so that the holder may be refilled to always maintain a full supply of new fuses easily available for quick re placement of blown fuses. In the form shown, at one end of the base 10 is an opening 29 and at the other an open hook 21 whereby a screw or other securing means may be passed through the base for securing it to any suitable support, such, for example, as the mounting board on which the fuse box is mounted. Also the open hook 21 at one end provides means whereby the holder may be suspended from any suitable securing means, as a nail driven into the board, or it could be hung over the wire handle of the door of the fuse box.

It will be seen from the above that this holder is of very simple construction and is such that it may be molded integrally in one piece, preferably of a suitable plastic material, as these materials are available of required strength, and they are of relatively light weight. It may also be molded of materials of different colors both for providing an attractive appearance and also to facilitate locating of the holder when a new fuse is desired. Also it will be seen that because of the open construction from one side, not only may the holder be molded in one integral piece, but the amount of material required for making the holder is reduced to a minimum. Still further, this open side construction permits ready loading of the holder with the new fuses as they may be easily and quickly inserted in the holder, and it also renders each individual fuse readily accessible so that it may be easily and quickly removed from the holder for use in the fuse box.

In merchandising, the holder may be sold by itself and filled with the new fuses by the purchaser, or the holder may be filled with the desired number of new fuses and sold thus as a filled unit.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. An electric fuse holder of the character described comprising an elongated base member and means on the base for gripping and holding a plurality of electric plugtype fuses having a screw shell side contact and a central end contact, said fuse gripping and holding means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of laterally spaced flexible resilient arms extending upwardly from the base at the opposite sides thereof, said arms and base being of one integral piece of molded plastic, each pair of arms being upwardly and inwardly inclined toward each other to grip the opposite sides ol? and hold a fuse between them and having inclined surfaces adjacent their free ends to guide the fuse to a position between the pair of arms and spread them laterally to place them under stress to grip the opposite sides of the fuse, a series of upwardly extending locating fingers and guards also integral with the base located one between adjacent pairs of arms to locate the fuses between the arms in proper position for being gripped and held by the arms, and the base being provided with means at its ends by which it may be secured on a support.

2. An electric fuse holder of the character described comprising a one-piece member of molded plastic including a substantially flat elongated base member provided with means whereby it may be secured to a support, means on the base for gripping and holding a plurality of electric plug type fuses having a screw shell side contact and a central end contact, said fuse gripping and holding means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of laterally spaced upright flexible resilient arms extending upwardly from the opposite side edges of the base, said arms and base comprising a single integral piece of molded plastic, each pair of arms being upwardly and inwardly inclined toward each other and having inclined inner surfaces adiacent their free ends to guide a fuse to a position between these arms and spread them laterally and place them under stress to grip the sides of a fuse as it is inserted between them and then hold it in this position, a series of upwardly extending fingers forming guards also integral with the base located one between each pair of arms to locate the fuses in proper position between the pairs of arms to be held thereby, and said base being provided with an open recess in its top surface between the arms of each pair to receive the end contact of the fuse held by these arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Blackman Sept. 8, 1953 

